Introduction

In the Hebrew, seven ([b'v, - Sheh'-bah) is from a root word meaning to be complete or full. This can be clearly seen from the first time a varient of this word is used in the Bible.

1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Genesis 2:1-3

God rested on the seventh day because his work of creation was complete, entire, perfect. Thus seven represents this perfect completeness and also it represents rest, as in the rest that is taken from work. It is from this same word that the Sabbath, the day of rest comes. But as well as this spiritual perfection, seven seems also to be used in another way in scripture.

Patterns of sevens run through the scripture more abundantly than any other number. Where patterns of other numbers run through a scripture it is often symbolic of something to do with that number, however patterns of seven about all through scripture to the extent that it could be seen as being a part of God's seal that the writing is indeed scripture. Thus seven might also be known as the number of God's seal.For example let us take a look at the occurence of the word seven itself, and its derivitives.

Seven in the Old Testament

The Hebrew word for seven occurs a total of 392 times in the Bible.(1) This is not only a multiple of seven but of seven times seven, 392 = 8 x 7 x 7. 392 is also remarkable for being the sum of the square of seven and the cube of seven, ie. 392 = (7 x 7) + (7 x 7 x 7) or 392 = 72 + 73.

It may be nothing more than a strange coincidence that the word seven is used exactly seven times in Genesis chapter seven. Then again, it may not.

The times seven is used as a number by itself is 287 times.(2) 287 = 41 x 7.

It is used in conjunction with other numbers to make a composite number (such as one hundred and seven) 105 times(3) (note 105 +287 =392). 105 = 15 x 7. This number also has the interesting property of being the lowest multiple of 3,5,7 the three consecutive odd numbers (also primes) after one itself. We will see more of the number three below.

The word seven is often used more than once in a verse. So the number of verses in which it appears will be less than the total number of times it is used. It turns out that the word seven appears in 343 verses. 343 = 7 x 7 x 7 = 73. There is therefore 49 times seven is used more than the first time in a verse, or there are 49 repeat uses. 49 = 7 x 7 = 72. This is the same division of 392 = 73 + 72 that we noted at the top of this list.

There are two other words used in the Old Testament to mean seven. The aramaic word ([b'v] shib-aw') is used six times. A long form of the Hebrew word for seven (hn:[;b]vi shib-aw-naw’) is used once. In total these other words are used seven times.(4)

The Hebrew word for a seventh (y[iybiv] sheb-ee-ee’) occurs 98 times.(5) 98 = 2 x 7 x 7. Note that not only is this a multiple of seven but of seven times seven, just as was the total number of occurrences of the word seven (see above).

It is also remarkable that the word for seven is used in only the first three of the gospels.It is used a total of nine times in Matthew. 9 = 3 x 3.It is used a total of nine times in Mark. 9 = 3 x 3.It is used a total of six times in Luke. 6 = 2 x 3.
It is used a total of nine times between the Gospels and Revelation. Eight times in Acts and once in Hebrews. 9 = 3 x 3.It is used a total of 54 times in the book of Revelation. 54 = 18 x 3 = 2 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 2 x 33.

In total these words occur 105 times (87 +9 +3 + 6 =105). 105 =3 x 5 x 7. So the total occurences are not only a multiple of three but of seven as well. This is interesting because 3 and 7 are the first two of the 'perfect numbers'.

Thus appearence of the word seven itself is used in a marvelous pattern of sevens that spans each of the testaments. In combination a few points can also be made.

Seven in the Bible

Now that we are aware of the complimentary pattern of threes that appears in the New testament, it should be noted that there are three different words used in the Old Testament to mean, the number seven.

The number of times that the word for seven or one of its derivitive numbers (seventh, seventy etc.) appears in the entire Bible is 392 + 7 + 98 + 7 + 91 = 595 in the Old Testament. Add the 105 occurences from the New Testament and we have the remarkable number 700.

Taking the number of 700 arrived at above, if we add the other 434 occurences of words derived from the same root in the Hebrew we get a total of 1134. Naturally this is a multiple of seven, but it is also a multiple of 3 which also fulfills the pattern seen in the occurences of seven in the New Testament. 1134 = 2 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 7 = 2 x 34 x 7.

The total number of words based on the Hebrew and the Greek words for seven is, sixteen in the Old testament and five in the New Testament. Making a total of twenty one words(13), this again fills the pattern of both sevens and threes. 21 = 3 x 7.

The Holy Spirit

We should expect the number of spiritual perfection to occur in conjunction with the words used for the Holy Spirit within the Bible. In the Greek the word pnuma is the only word used for the Holy Spirit in the new Testament. It is translated, in the King James, as Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, Spirit of God, Spirit of truth and so on. It so happens that this word is used 385 times in the Bible. 385 = 5 x 7 x 11. Each of these factors is significant in relation to the Holy Spirit.

Five is the number of grace, or free unmerited favor. The only way we may receive the Holy Spirit is through the grace of God, we cannot earn it, or deserve it.

25These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 14:25-26

But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Romans 5:15

Seven is of course Spiritual perfection and so adequately represents the holy Spirit itself. But seven is also the seal of God, He stamped His aproval of the creation by resting on the seventh day. Seven occurs throughout the Word of God more often than any other number. Ivan Panin regarded a pattern of sevens in the gematria of scripture as the stamp or seal of Gods authentic Word upon it. In fact, rightly or wrongly he used this to determine whether scripture was part of the genuine Word of God or not. If we look at seven in this light, no wonder that the holy Spirit is associated with seven. The holy Spirit is the seal of God on the believer, the earnest of our inheritance. Thus seven is symbolically the seal of God in scripture and in the believer as well.

13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13-14

Eleven is the number of revelation. The Spirit reveals the Word of God to us. Jesus calles the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth, in John.

15If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

John 14:15-17

Also in second Corinthians, talking about the contrast between the first and second testaments. The first was given by God and was glorious, but led to death because of sin. How much more glorius is the second, also given by God but which leads to life. The following passage makes it clear that the holy Spirit reveals the Scripture to us.

12Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 15But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

2 Corinthians 3:12-15

Words which occur in the Bible exactly seven times

Purify

The Greek word aJgnivzw hag-nid’-zo which means, ceremonially or morally, to make pure, purify or cleanse.

And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

John 11:55

Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

Acts 21:24

Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

Acts 21:26

Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.

It should be noted that: this does not include the Greek word heptakischilioi for seven thousand (see footnote 9). The justification for not including this word is that this word does not fit the pattern of word forms in the Old Testament. The OT uses seven, seventy, seventh, sevenfold, for larger numbers the word seven is used in a sentence to describe the number, such as, "five hundred and seven". However the New Testament Greek, combines and creates a large word to mean seven hundred.